Turbine.



PATBNTED APR..14, 1908. R. GRAMP.

TURBINB.

APPLIUATION Hum JAN.22.1908.

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PATENT'ED APR. 14, 1908. K

TURBINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2z, 190e.

RICHARD GRAMP, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

TURB INE.

Application filed Ianuary 22, 1908.

Specification of Letters Patent.

` Patented April 14, 1908.

Serial No` 412,099.

To cZZ-whom it may concern;

Be 1t known that I, RICHARD CRAM?, a

subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Turbines, l and of which the following is a specication. y

This invention relates to turbines in which the blades of the rotary members are pivoted thereto, so that their angle can be altered automatically for the purpose of reversing the direction of motion, by admitting steam t0A alternative sets of guide vanes, set in opporocked over with certaintyto the opposite po' sition on the direction of inflow of steam to the said blades being reversed; to control the; admission of steam to one or other series of` oppositely disposed sets of guide vanes situ 4ated between each set of blades, and so that the quantity of steam may be reduced with- Out reducing the speed of flow of the said. -steam admitted to the turbine as a whole,

and the invention also includes features for` simplifying the construction and arrangement of the turbine.

The invention will be described with refer-I ence to the example of construction shownl in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure vl is a sectional side elevation of a part of a turbine constructed in accordance` Fig. 2 is a sec? tional end elevation of same on the line 22 with the present invention.

0f Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagram, on a larger scale, of some of the blades and vanes and of thereversing mechanism; the blades being shown in full lines in the position they occupy when driving in one direction and in dotted y Fig. 4 is a detail showing the mode of securing the blades.

Inthe drawings a is the casing, b the steam inlet, c c are the rotor blades which are mounted on disks d d. Each blade is pivoted on pins e, e1 near the end remote from its guide vanes, while the other end is free to swing through a suflicient angle to permit the steam to act on one side thereof or on the other side so as to drive the turbine in either direction as desired. Stops f f are placed between the blades to limit their movement,

and are of a curvature suitable for facilitating -the 'flow of the steam. The sides of each blade present a continuous curve to the steam, so that it can act thereon at the most efficient angle for the impulse action during its passage between the blades, and the free end of each blade is bifurcated or forked as shown at g.

Between. the rings of rotor blades c c are stationary guide rings h carrying or formed with the guide vanes i, arranged alternately in groups of forwardly directed vanes and groups of backwardly directed vanes. Against the face of each of said guide rings are fitted slidable segments 7c constituting valves, and adapted to be so adjusted, relatively to the guide rings, as to cover either the forward or the reversing vanes, or both, or partly uncover either. A convenient means for holding and adjusting these segments consists in providing the'rn with pins 7c* fitting freely in holes in rings Z, provided on a part of their peripheries with worm teeth m, with which engage worms n mounted on shafts o by which they may be turned in either direction from a common shaft, to cause the segments to cover the sets of vanes for one direction, and to uncover the oppositely ,disposed sets.

A convenient mode of assemblingY the blades on each rotor disk d consists in mount ing their pivot pins e, el (which, in the example illustrated, consist of trunnions extending from the ends of and integral with the blades) in concentric annular rings p,q, of which p (Fig. 4) forms a shrouding While the other g may loe a flange of the disk CZ, or a part attached thereto.

The lower trunnions e1 of the blades rest in radial grooves or sockets g1 formed partly in the radial face of the disk d or of the part ca rried by same, and partly in a ring 0r cover r which is secured over the same by bolts and nuts r1, or by other means.

The upper trunnions e project into or through slotted holes p1 formedin the shrouding p, so that said trunnions can be passed laterally into their respective holes when the ring r is removed; they are then suitably retained therein, as by a'loose ring or segments s interposed between the trunnions e and the radial face of the shrouding p, where the latter is L-shaped or iianged4 as in the present instance.

t are distributing or expansionspaces behind and between the sets of rotor blades,

and u c are packing pieces and rings respec tively, which'serve to prevent steam leaking from the expansion spaces t through the junction between the stationary frame and the hubs of the rotary disks d.

The grou s of guide vanes i and the sliding segment va ves are so arranged, that in the osition shown at Fig. 2, all the groups of orwardly directed vanes are open to the steam pressure, while all the groups of rearwardly directed vanes are closed, and it will be observed that by o verating the shafts o controlling a series of tie angularly adjustable rings carrying the segments, through the medium of a common shaft, more or less in number of each group of forwardly directed guide vanes i throughout the turbine can be submitted for the passage of the steam, and thus it will be understood that the quantity of steam admittedthrough the series of for- Wardly directed vanes can be reduced, without reducing the speed of iiow of the said steam admitted through the turbine taken as a whole By actuating the shafts o in the opposite direction, through the medium of the com-` mon shaft aforesaid, all the segments may be angularlymoved, so that the series of forwardly directed vanes becomes wholly closed, and a continuation of this angular movement of the segments throughout the series of the turbine, will uncover the rearwardly directed vanes in all the stationary guide rings 7L more or less as required and so the area submitted for the passage of the steam through the directing vanes, is not only adjusted and varied for the first set of directing vanes, but simultaneously for each series of directing vanes in all the vane-carrying rings throughout this expansively working turbine, and a perfect contro] is obtained by reason also of the fact that the slidable segment valves c can be made to move in proportion so that all the guide vanes of a series throughout the turbine are caused to present a proper proportion of complete ports for the passa e of the steam, so that when half the ports o one series of guide vanes in the first `stationary ring are open, half the ports of the corresponding series in all the other rings of guide vanes will be likewise opened, and when a uarter of the ports of a series in the first statlonary ring are open, a quarter of the ports of the corresponding series in all the other stationary guide rings will be opened, and so on.

The steam being free to pass through a series or a portion of a series of directing vanes in each stationary guide ring, say in the direction of the arrows Fig. 3, the said steam jets will act on the faces of the rotor blades c and drive the turbine in one direction.

When, however, by means of the aforesaid common shaft, all the series of shafts o are operated until the steam is free to pass through the directin vanes, as for instance is illustrated at the ower part of Fig. 3, it

will be obvious that the steam jets will act upon one arm of the bifurcation at the end of each pivoted rotor blade, and will cause each blade to be swung over into the dotted position shown at Fig. 3, and the turbine will be driven in the reverse direction, while the number of directing vanes open for the passage of the steam can be accurately regulated throughout each stage of the expansion, and thereby the turbine can be employed with the greatest possible mechanical efficiency. After passing through the first series of rotor blades, the steam passes into the expansion space t, and from thence through the next series of directing vanes, and so on, and finally to the exhaust.

What I claim as my invention 'and desire to secure by patent is :w

l. In a reversible turbine; the combination with a cylindrical casing, av revoluble shaft passing axially therethrough, end covers to the casing and bearings in the end covers to carry said shaft, bla e-carrying rotor disks keyed at a distance apart on said revoluble shaft, a stationary guide ring located within the casing in front of and adjacent to each rotor disk, ,said guide ring having an annular series of guide vanes arranged alternately in groups of forwardly directed vanes and groups of backwardly directed vanes, and means for opening or closing one or other or both groups of said guide vanes, the casing having a steam inlet at one end to admit steam to the first stationary uide ring and an outlet at the other end of t e casing; of blades carried by the rotor disks, a pivot at the rear end of each rotor blade, bearings in the revoluble disks to carry said pivots radially to the revoluble shaft to permit said blades to freely swing about said pivots, stop-pieces on said revoluble disks between said pivoted blades to limit the angular motion of said blades, and a bifurcation on the radial free edges of said rotor blades facing the steam inlet to provide surfaces for the jets of steam to act upon to rock said bladesinto an opposite position upon change of direction of the incoming steam jets substantially as set forth.

2. In a reversible turbine; the combination with a cylindrical casing, a Arevoluble shaft passing axially therethrough, end covers to the casing and bearings in the end oovers to carry said shaft, blade-carryin rotor disks keyed at a distance apart on sai revoluble shaft, a stationary guide ring located within the casing in front of and adjacent to each rotor disk, said guide ring havin an annular series of guide vanes arranged a ternately in grou s of forwardly directed. vanes and groups o backwardly directed vanes, and means for opening or closing one or other or both groups of said guide vanes, the casing having a steam inlet at one end to admit steam to the first stationary guide ring' andan outlet at the other end of the casing;

of blades carried by the rotor disks, each blade having its forward radial edge divided lengthwise of said edge and curved in opposite directions to provide surfaces for the jets of steam to act upon to rock said blades into an opposite position upon change of direction of the incoming steam jets, a pivot at the rear end of each rotor blade, bearings carried by lthe revoluble disks to carry said pivots, and stop-pieces on said revoluble disks located between-said pivoted blades to limit the angular motion thereof, substantially as set forth.

3. In a reversible turbine; the combination with a cylindrical casing, a revoluble shaft passing axially therethrough, end covers to thecasing, bearings in said end covers to carry said shaft, stationary guidel rings located within said casing at a distance apart, each guide ring having an annular series of guide vanes arranged in groups of forwardly directed and groups of backwardly directed vanes, and means for opening or closing one or other or both groups of said guide vanes, the casing having a steam inlet at one end to -admit steam to the rst stationary guide ring and an outlet at the other end; ofk

, blades facing the steam inlet, radiacl pivots at the rear end of each rotor blade, said outer annular ring having holes to receive the outer pivot of each rotor blade, and said rotor disk having semi-circular radial recesses in its face to receive the inner pivots of said rotor blades, a cover ring having radial semiing a steam inlet at one end and a steam outlet at the other end; lof stationary guide rings within the casing one located adjacent to and in front of each rotor disk, each guide ringhaving an annular series of guide vanes arranged in groups of forwardly directed andA groups of backwardly directed vanes, said vanes in said guide rin s being located opposite to said rotor bla es, valves in contact shaft passing axially therethrough, end covers to the casing, bearings in said end covers to carry said shaft, rotor disks keyed at a distance apart on said revoluble shaft, rotor blades carried by said disks, the casing having a steam inlet at one end and a steam outlet at the other end; of stationary guide rings within the casing one located adjacent to and in front of each rotor disk, e'ach guide ring having an annular series of guide vanes -arranged in groups of forwardly directed and groups of backwardly directed vanes, said vanes in said guide rings being located opposite to said rotor bladaes, valves in contact with the surface of each guide ring for opening or closing one or other or both groups of said guide vanes in said guide rings, and means for moving the valves of one guide ring simultaneously and proportionally to the valves of all the other stationary guide rings, substantially as set forth.

6. In a reversible turbine the combination with a cylindrical casing, a revoluble shaft passing axially therethrough, end covers to the casing, bearings in said end covers to carry said shaft, rotor disks keyed at a distance apart on said. revoluble shaft, rotor blades pivoted at their rear radial edges to said rotor disks, and radially extending stoppieces on said rotor disks extending between said pivoted blades to limit their rocking motion, the casing having a steam inlet at one end and a steam outlet at the other end; of stationary guide rings within the casing one located adjacentv to and vin front of each rotor disk, each guide ring having an `annular series of guidevanes arranged in groups of forwardly directed and groups of backwardly directed vanes, said vanes being located opposite to said rotor blades, slidable segment valves located in contact with the face of said guide rings, an. annulus to connect said segmental valves, and means-for giving angular motion to each valve-carrying annu us for opening or closing one or other, or both, groups of said guide vanes in said guide rings, substantially as set forth.

7 In a reversible turbine; the combination with a cylindrical casing, a revoluble shaft passing axially therethrough, end covers to the casing, bearings in said end covers to carry said shaft, rotor disks keyed at a distance apart on said revoluble shaft, rotor Yblades pivoted at their rear radial edges to said rotor disks, and radially extending stop-pieces on said rotor disks extending between said pivoted blad es to limit their rocking motion, the casing having a steam inlet at one end and a steam outlet at the other end; of stationary guide rings within the casing one located adjacent to and in front of each rotor disk, each guide ring having an annular series of guide vanes arranged in groups of forwardly directed and groups of backwardly directed vanes, said vanes being located op.- posite to said. rotor blades, slidable segment valves located in contact with the face of said guide rings to regulate the opening or closing of one or other or both. groups of said guide varies, a concentric bearing surface on the inlet side of each of said stationary guide ringsm an annulus located on said bearing surface and carrying said segmental valves, teeth on the periphery of said annulus, a valve-controlling shaft passing into said casing, bearings in said casing to support said shaft, and a worm on saidl shaft engaging the teeth of said annulus, substantially as set forth.

8. In a reversible turbine; the combination with a cylindrical casing, a revoluble shaft passing axially therethrough, end covers to the casing, bearings in said. end covers to carry said shaft, rotor disks keyed at a'distance apart on said revoluble shaft, rotor blades pivoted at their rear radial edges to said rotor disks, and radially extending stoppieces on said rotor disks extending between said pivoted blades to limit their rocking mo tion, the casing having a steam inlet at one end and a steam outlet at the other end; of

` stationary guide rings within the casing one located adjacent to and in front of each rotor disk, each guide ring having an annular series of guide vanes arranged in groups of forwaidly directed and groups of backwardly directed vanes, said vanes being located op posite to said rotor blades, slidable segment valves located in contact with the face of said guide rings to regulate the opening or closing of one or other or both groups of said guide varies, a concentric'bearing surface on the inlet side of each of said stationary guide rings, an annulus located on said bearing surface 'and carrying said segmental valves, teeth on the periphery of said annulus, a valve-con` trolling shaft passing into said casing, bearings Vin said casing to support said shaft, a

Aworm on said shaft engaging the teeth of said annulus, and means for simultaneously operating all the said valve-'controlling shafts to adjust the valves of` one stationary guide said pivoted blades to limit their rocking motion, the casing having a steam inlet at one end and a steam outlet at the other end g of stationary guide rings within the casing one located adjacent to and in front of each rotor disk, each guide ring having a segmental series of guide vanes arranged in groups of forwardly directed and groups of backwardly directed vanes, said vanes being located opposite to said rotor blades, a number of slid able segment valves located in contact with the face of each guide ring, the proportions and nun'ilier of said valves relatively to the groups of said varies being such as to permit the segment valves to cover either the forward or the reversing vanes, or both, or to partially yuncover either, means for carrying the valves of each stationary guide ring, and

means for giving such valves requisite angular motions, substantially as set forth.

ln witness whereof l have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD CRAMP.

Witnesses:

GRIFFITH POWER, Tnoivnis W. ROGERS. 

